But Mncwango’s colleague then discovered Resident A looking ‘terrible’ and ‘barely conscious.’

She phoned emergency services at 8.45am, over two-and-a-half hours after the resident was checked by Mncwango around 6am on June 9, 2013.

The resident died a few days later.

Banning Mncwango from the profession for four months, NMC panel chair Karen Heenan said: ‘Any registered nurse would be expected to know that treatment should be sought for victims of a suspected stroke as soon as possible.

‘Mrs Mncwango failed in this duty.

‘Although it is not the NMC’s case, nor do the panel find, that Mrs Mncwango’s omissions contributed to Resident A’s death some days later, the panel concluded that Mrs Mcwango’s failure to act upon observing Resident A’s symptoms placed Resident A at risk of significant further harm.

‘The panel noted Mrs 2’s (home manager at the home) evidence that Mrs Mncwango had claimed she had been particularly busy during this night shift, but it considered it evident that the care of Resident A should have been prioritised.’

A spokeswoman for the home said: “We do not tolerate this kind of behaviour and acted immediately.

“We fully support the action taken by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. We want to thank our staff who immediately reported the nurse.

“The health and wellbeing of the people we support is our absolute number one priority.”